When I first started to watch clips of Tattooed under Fire by Nancy Schiesari, I started to see an outline of a unique story that needed to be brought to public television. I saw young men and women just out of high school who were preparing to go to war in Iraq as they as visited a local tattoo parlor near their base. There they revealed their American pride, their concerns and their fears about going over to fight. Then the film provides more revelations upon their return from Iraq. Each soldier gives their own personal perspective giving us the sense of the human and cultural cost of war. Tattooed under Fire gives a perspective and an experience that very few of us will ever experience in our lifetime.

As an independent producer, Nancy Schiesari has shown her skill in transitioning the original Fort Hood Diaries project into Tattooed under Fire. The early cuts that I saw have now been polished into this one-hour documentary. I want to thank her for listening to the many voices providing her with direction to finish this film. I also want to thank the folks from ITVS and with the LINCS project with the assistance in getting this program ready for air. They have provided lots of support to get this program on many of the public television stations. And the good news is that many of the public television stations around the country are planning to air the program in November around Veteran’s Day.

Tattooed under Fire is an excellent contemporary documentary that provides a unique look into our world. It is worthy of your viewing time. Look for it on your PBS station. Check local listings for days and times.

Tattooed under Fire can be seen on KLRU on Tuesday, November 10 at 9:00 pm and Thursday, November 12th at 1:00 am.